San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton (19) collides with Vancouver Canucks' Dan Hamhuis (2) as Alex Burrows (14) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks stops the puck with his helmet during their game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver...

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Brent Burns #88 of the San Jose Sharks celebrates after he scored a goal in the second period of their game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Brent Burns #88 of the San Jose Sharks...

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San Jose Sharks' Tommy Wingels (57) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo is beaten for a goal on a shot from San Jose Sharks' Patrick Marleau during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo is beaten for a goal on a...

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Matt Nieto #83 of the San Jose Sharks and Brad Richardson #15 of the Vancouver Canucks go for the puck at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Matt Nieto #83 of the San Jose Sharks...

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Matt Pelech #42 of the San Jose Sharks is stopped from scoring by Roberto Luongo #1 and Dan Hamhuis #2 of the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Matt Pelech #42 of the San Jose Sharks...

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks and Dan Hamhuis #2 of the Vancouver Canucks go for the puck at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks...

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Brent Burns #88 of the San Jose Sharks celebrates after he scored a goal in the second period of their game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Brent Burns #88 of the San Jose Sharks...

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San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi, of Finland, stops a shot by the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi, of Finland, stops a shot by the...

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Justin Braun #61 of the San Jose Sharks is congratulated by Logan Couture #39 and Tyler Kennedy #81 after he scored a goal in the second period against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on October 3, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 03: Justin Braun #61 of the San Jose Sharks...

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San Jose Sharks' Justin Braun, right, is hugged by teammates Tyler Kennedy and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) after scoring against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. Canucks' Dale Weise is at left. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

"Our power play was a strength all last year, and it's going to be a strength this year, but 5-on-5 play was really good," captain Joe Thornton said.

The Sharks scored the only two goals in the middle period to wipe out a 1-0 deficit and take a 2-1 lead into the third period.

San Jose finally solved Luongo, who stopped the first 16 shots he faced in the game. Thornton started the scoring sequence by poking the puck off Canucks defenseman Jason Garrison at center to create a turnover.

Rookie Tomas Hertl fed Burns, who streaked in along right wing and beat Luongo with a shot just inside the near post at 5:53. "I've been taking a lot of heat lately for not shooting," Burns joked.

Burns' goal helped atone for a pair of bad first-period penalties, the first of which led to the visitors' goal.

The hosts went ahead to stay late in the period when defenseman Justin Braun's shot from just inside the blue line along the right boards beat a screened Luongo at 18:07. The Canucks escaped the first period with a 1-0 lead on the strength of a power-play goal despite getting outshot 16-7 in the opening 20 minutes.

The first of two frustration penalties taken by Burns - a retaliatory slash against Higgins during a line change - cost the hosts. It took the Canucks just 35 seconds to convert, as Garrison stepped into a feed from Daniel Sedin to drill a one-timer past Niemi after Couture's diving attempt at a block failed.

Luongo was splendid in the period, thwarting attempts by Joe Pavelski, Burns and Hertl.

Notes:Scott Hannan played in place of defenseman Brad Stuart, who missed the seven preseason games with a late-summer lower-body injury. ... Vancouver's Henrik Sedin played in his 630th straight game to tie Andy Hebenton for sixth on the NHL's all-time list. ... Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic returned for the third period after getting struck in the face by Higgins' right skate during the final minute of the second period.